Tie-plate and key



Nov. 11, 1930. J. A. M GREW TIE PLATE AND KEY Filed Oct. 5, 1929 M 9 a 2w 2 y 4% I /J /a 2 35 3 m z. a

Patented Nov. 11, 1930 UNITED STATES JOHN A. MCGREW, OF ALBANY, NEW YORK TIE-PLATE AND KEY Application filed October 3, 1929.

This invention relates to tie plates and rail fasteners and more particularly to that type in which the rail is fastened to the tie plate independently of the means which secures the plate to the cross tie.

It is a general object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved form of tie plate and rail fastener.

More particularlyit is an object of the invention to provide a tie plate and rail fastener in which the rail base is secured to the tie plate solely by the spring action of a driven fastening key.

One of the novel features of the invention comprises an arrangement of tie plate and spring key'wherein the tie plate is fiat where it supports the key in order that the plate can be rolled with facility.

Another feature of the invention comprises the use of a key or fastening lever which not only applies a spring pressure to the rail base to hold it clamped to the tie plate but which clamps itself to the tie plate independently of any action it may have on the rail, thus providing in a sense a double lock to maintain the key in position.

A still further feature of the invention comprises the arrangement of a locking key or plate in the form of a folded spring sheet with the two sides of the fold divergent to produce a wedge action combined with a spring action.

Other and further features and objects of the invention will be more apparent to those skilled in the art upon a consideration of the accompanying drawing and the following specification, wherein are disclosed two exem plary embodiments of the invention with the understanding that such changes may bemade therein as fall within the scope of the attached claims without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In said drawing:

Figure 1 is an elevation of a tie plate and rail fastener constructed according to the present invention and showing, in section, a rail in position thereon;

Figure 2 is a vertical section on broken line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a side elevation of one of the Serial No. 397,116.

locking keys before application to the tie plate;

Figure 4 is an end elevation thereof; Figure 5 is an elevation of the opposite end; and

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 1 but showin a modification.

The invention is shown as applied to a standard railroad rail 10 having the base 11 with the sloping upper surfaces 12 and flat bottom 13. The tie plate 14 of this invention is constructed somewhat along conventional lines being considerably wider than the width of the rail base and having a fiat uudersurface 15 to be received on the cross tie and a flat top portion 16 on which the rail base rests. In the form shown in Figure 1 the rail is constrained to be applied in the proper position on the tie plate by means of the abutments 17 spaced apart a suflicient distance to give an easy clearance for. the rail base and to permit slight lateral movement of the rail for purposes of adjusting the gauge.

Beyond and parallel to these abutments are the integral ribs 18 extending for the full length of the plate and heavily reinforced at their junctions with the base part. They extend vertically upward for a short distance and are then curved toward each other as at 19 merging into substantially horizontal overhanging portions 20 terminating in depending thickened fulcrum edges 21. The distance between the inner edges of the two overhanging members is greater than the width of the rail base. The portions 22 of the tie plate beneath the abutments and the ribs 18 and beneath the overhang is substantially flat and of equal thickness throughout the length in order to permit simplified rolling of the tie plates which, as will be understood, can be rolled in a long continuous sheet with the parts 20 standing upright until the final pass which will turn them down as shown. The section can then be sawed into parts forming the tie plates.

Laterally beyond the ribs 18 are the flat flanges 23 which may be perforated if desired to receive suitable fastening means as spikes or lag screws for securing the tie plate to the cross tie.

Spring keys 24 are provided to be driven into place to hold the rail base tightlyclamped against the tie plate and these keys take the form of simple levers having bearing on the rail base sloping surfaces 12, under the fulcrum edges 21 and on the upper surface of the tie plate beneath the overhanging parts prevent slippage.

Figures 3, 4, and 5 show'the normal configuration of one ofthese spring keys. Each key 24 is formed from a sheet of spring steel approximately of a uniform thickness of about five thirty-seconds of an inch. A substantially rectangular plate somewhat longer than the length of the tie plate is bent to form a key which is substantially U-shaped in vertical cross section having a long rectangular arm 25 and a short rectangular arm 26. At the end indicated by the reference character 27 these arms are substantially parallel to each other as seen in Figure 5 and gradually separate until at the opposite end they are quite divergent as seen in Figure 4. The total distance between the surface marked a and the surface marked 12 at the end 27 is slightly less than the distance between the surface 22 and' the fulcrum edge 21 so that the thin end of'the key can be initially inserted in the space beneath the overhanging rib 20. When in this position the inner lower edge 29 of the long arm will rest on the upper surface 12 of the rail base as shown in Figure 1, and as the combination key-wedge is driven into position by movement along the rail the edge 29 will bear with more and more force on the rail base, since the arm 26 being inclined to the arm 25 will continue to raise the looped portion 31 of the key as it is moved and cause flexing of the arm 25 about the fulcrum 21. The keys on the two sides of the rail base are intended to be driven from opposite directions and by the amount and time relation of the driving some lateral adjustment of the rail for gauging purposes can be effected.

When the key is driven home it will be seen that it is locked into position by virtue of its bearing under the fulcrum, on the rail base and on the tie plate. In addition to this however it is locked in position byreason of its tapered portion wedging between the fulcrum and the base of the tie plate and thus it may be said to have a double lock insuring against its accidental displacement due to the vibration of passing trains.

In Figure 6 a modification is shown in which but a single locking key is used and that key is placed on the inside of the rail. The outer edge of the rail base is engaged beneath an overhanging hook like rib portion 40 which can be rolled in the same manner as described in connection with the fulcrum parts of Figure 1. This serves to accurately position the outside of the rail base edge and insures accurate gauging. Since this one edge of the rail is placed against an abutment there is no need of an abutment such as those numbered 17 in Figure 1. The key is of the same type used in connection with the form of Figure 1 and is shown driven to, the same position as those keys in Figure 1. If desired this form of tie plate can be made narrower by cutting it off along the dotted lines of Figure 6 since the extra material is not needed in this edge to take care of the wedge member. This second form is simpler than the first and requires only half as many keys hence is cheaper. It may not be quite as effective in certain cases since it does not permit of the same lateral adjustment for gauging.

.- What I claim is: a

1. In a rail fastener, in combination, a tie plate. means thereon providing a fulcrum, a spring lever engaging beneath said fulcrum and having an edge bearing on the rail base and means on said lever bearing on said plate to flex the lever, said means also looking the lever between the plate and fulcrum.

2. In a rail fastener, in combination, a tie plate, means thereon providing an overhanging fulcrum, a spring lever engaging beneath said fulcrum and having an edge bearing on the rail base, said lever having an integral wedge portion bearing on a flat surface of said plate to fiex the lever.

3. In a rail fastener, in combination, a tie plate, means thereon providing an overhanging fulcrum, a spring lever engaging beneath said fulcrum and having an edge bearing on the rail base, said lever having an integral wedge portion bearing on a flat surface of said plate to flex the lever said wedge portion 5. In a rail fastener, in combination, a tie 1 plate adapted to suport the base of a rail, a rigid overhanging fulcrum rib on said plate beside the rail base, a key member to lock said rail in position and comprising a folded sheet of spring material having a long arm and a short arm, the end edges of said arms being divergent. said key member being driven beneath said fulcrum rib with the long arm engaging said rib and rail base and the short arm engaging the surface of the tie plate adjacent said rail base.

6. In a rail fastener, in combination, a tie plate adapted to support the base of a rail, a rigid overhan ing fulcrum rib on said plate beside the rail ase, a key memberto lock said rail in position and comprising a folded sheet of spring material having a long arm and a short arm, the end edges of said arms being divergent, said key member being driven be-v neath said fulcrum rib with the long arm engaging said rib-and rail base and the short arm engaging the surface of the tie plate adjacent said rail base, the fulcrum rib being so spaced from the surface of the tie plate as to bend the two arms of the key toward each other to lock the key in position.

7. In a rail fastener, in combination, a tie plate adapted to support the base of a rail, a rigid overhanging fulcrum rib on said plate beside the rail base, a key member to lock said rail in position and comprising a spring plate having one edge bearing on said rail base materiall in from the edge thereof and spaced from t e fulcrum and having an intermediate portion engaged beneath said fulcrum, the portion of the plate beneath the overhang being folded back on itself to form a spriii wedge tapering in the direction of the len E of the rail and engaging the flat surface of the tie plate for the pur ose described.

8. A spring key or securing a rail base to a tie plate having an overhanging fulcrum, comprising a sheet of spring metal folded on itself to forma long rectangular arm and a short rect-an lar arm said arms being spaced apart and divergent in the direction of the length of the fold.

9. In a rail fastener, in combination, a tie plate adapted to support the base of a rail and having a flat surface beyond, the base supporting portion, a rib extending upwardly from the margin of said surface and having a portion overhanging toward the said base and terminating in a fulcrum edge, a stop for the opposite edge of the rail base, a spring key beneath said overhang and having an extending arm bearing on the rail base and fulcrum edge, said portion beneath the overhang comprising a compressible sprin wedge cooperating with said flat surface 0 the tie plate to press said arm tightly against the rail base.

10. In a rail fastener, in combination, a tie plate adapted to support the base of a rail and having a fiat surface beyond the base supporting portion, a rib extending upwardly from the marg of said surface and having a portion overhanging toward the said base and terminating in a fulcrum edge, a stop for the opposite edge of the rail base, a spring ke beneath said overhang and having an exten ing arm bearing on the rail base and fulcrum edge, said portion beneath the overhang comprising a compressible spring wedge cooperating with said flat surface of the he plate to over ang to clamp the ke in said tie plate.

In testimony whereof hereunto aflix my signature. I v

JOHN A. MCGREW. 

